[4] In 1976, Simmons and his wife moved to Maben, Mississippi, where they purchased the Tom Bailey Memorial Hospital.

[6][7] During his term, Simmons served on the following committees: Agriculture; Conservation of Water Resources; Game and Fish; and Judiciary "B".

[8][9] During the 1976-1980 term, Simmons served in the following committees: Appropriations; Game & Fish; Judiciary "A"; Public Buildings; and Grounds & Lands.

[17] Simmons attempted to generate legislative attention towards ending charity hospitals in the state and, when unsuccessful, used his Appropriations Committee status to cut funding for some of them.

[18] However, the cutting of funds was ended in June when Speaker C. B. Newman instead created a seven-member committee to study charity hospitals and report back to the House.

[19] In December 1983, at the tail end of the session, Simmons joined Eric Clark and other representatives in a group attempting to curtail the powers of the Speaker of the House.

[21] In order to take advantage of the lack of important committee assignments and meetings, Simmons and his wife attended the Mississippi College School of Law.

[24] These propositions included making the Rules Committee elective, choosing Appropriations and Ways & Means committee members on a seniority basis, creating a 10-year limit on Speaker terms, and creating a new permanent position of Speaker pro tempore.

[24] Then, on January 15, 1987, Simmons was elected to be the first permanent Speaker pro tempore of the House, defeating Nipper with a 67-41 vote.

[24] Due to his status as a law school student, Simmons announced that he did not desire to run for Speaker in the following term.

[27] During this term, Simmons successfully endorsed Tim Ford for the position of Speaker, as a "consensus candidate" between the "old guard" and the reformers.

[28] During this term, Simmons was (as Speaker pro tempore) the ex officio Chairman of the Management and Rules committees.

[27] He also was a member of the following committees: Appropriations; Interstate Cooperation; Military Affairs; Public Buildings; and Grounds & Lands.

"[28] These "friends" ostensibly included Mississippi "old guard" member and a former opponent of Ford's election to Speaker, Sonny Merideth.

[36] In January 1993, the two-term limit on Speakership tenure installed by Simmons was removed by the House on a 76-43 vote.

[42] In April 1998, Ford announced his candidacy for the office of chancery judge in order to be closer to his family.

[46] After losing the judgeship election, Simmons announced that he would be practicing law and spending more time with his family.

[49] In February 2014, Simmons was honored at a reception recognizing himself, Clark, and J. P. Compretta as the three living former Speakers pro tempore.